Celebration and Mourning
by WolfWinks
Summary: Harry Potter Day, the celebration, the meaning to different people. Harry learns that maybe Harry Potter Day may not be so ridiculous. (although the name could use some work)


It was over. Harry stared down at the ash that was once a man who would murder without care. The man that couldn't even hope to understand love or experience. A man that had tried to kill him too many times to count and succeeded once. Harry stared down at what was left and only felt tired. There was silence in the courtyard. No spells, no yelling, no crying. Nothing. Until there was. All at once there were sounds of apparition. The remaining Death Eaters escaping. That seemed to snap everyone out of their shock.

Aurors started to set up wards preventing anyone entering of leaving Hogwarts grounds, Order of the Phoenix members started to gather the Death Eaters nearby and anyone who didn't have a job was helping the wounded. Harry turned slowly and looked around. He saw Hermione and Ron off to the side helping a startled Neville up, Dean holding his stomach and waving a wand at a startled third year he didn't recognise. Mrs Weasley was conjuring ropes and collecting wands from any Death Eaters she could see, unconscious or not. Harry watched this all with glazed eyes until he realised something. He couldn't see Luna.

He saw Ginny heading his way, a sour look on her face but Harry couldn't speak to her, not yet. He ran inside the destroyed castle, his eyes wide and panicked. _She has to be here._ He received startled glances from everyone he passed but couldn't find it in himself to reply to their calls. He could not loose Luna. He wouldn't survive.

"Harry?"

A soft call from one of the secret passages that had collapsed halted his tracks. There was Luna with a group of scared and upset first years behind her.

"Luna" Harry's panic vanished in a second. She was here, she was almost okay.

"Is it? Is it over?" A little boy that was holding onto another small boy, his robes showing he was a Gryffindor.

"It's over." Harry said, smiling at the little boy. He would hold in his relief and happiness at finally saying those words until he had reunited the children with families.

"Come on boys and girls, I told you the Lion and the King would save us."

Harry smiled as his lover started to lead her charges towards the great hall where everyone was convening. Harry knew she meant Neville and himself though how she knew Neville was the hero of the day was beyond him.

"Are you coming Harry?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." Harry knew there would be hurts to fix, people to reunite and bodies to identify. Harry knew that the pain would last months but in that moment he could do nothing but smile.

* * *

Harry was not smiling. It was two weeks after The Final Battle, as the public had started to call it, and the funerals were just finished. Two days ago the new Minister of Magic had made an announcement naming the day of the final battle Harry Potter Day. Harry, who no longer subscribed to the Daily Prophet, didn't find out about the announcement until the first invitation to the first belated Harry Potter Day party had arrived at his door. Harry almost cried when he had Luna, who didn't think it was important to inform him sooner even though she knew, explain everything. Now it was time for the parties, and yes there were multiple, that Harry had been invited to. Unfortunately, or fortunately for Harry, many of the times clashed and he was only required to attend to one, the very public one. Harry was not smiling anymore. He was just glad he was allowed to bring someone, he knew he would not be able suffer through it without Luna's... unique observations.

* * *

"Ah Mr Potter, how are you this fine evening?"

Harry smiled, which really was more of a grimace, at the man before him. White bower hat, white antique cane and a white suit to match, he was honestly blinding. A man of wealth and power which he was not afraid to flaunt. Thankfully Harry had more power and more influential than anyone at the party, it was his party after all, and therefore did not need to suck up the imbecile before him, although being polite never hurt anyone.

"Mr. Clinton, I haven't seen you for many years now."

Carson Clinton, major investor in many different industries, muggle and magical, including, but not limited to the Firebolt, incidentally how Harry first met him. Mr. Clinton found out that The Harry Potter was using one of those brooms he just had to meet him.

Mr. Clinton's smile dimmed slightly but continued on with trying to make himself seem even more important.

"Yes it has been a while but no matter, no matter. You have done wonderfully my boy... excuse me I am speaking with Mr. Potter here, could you leave."

Harry looked behind himself and saw Luna had arrived and was just staring at Mr. Clinton. Harry smiled but stayed silent and waited for Luna to speak. _This is going to be good._

"Your hair is a beautiful shade of white. I've heard that with old age comes grey hair but your hair is so white, it matches your blinding suit perfectly. Honestly I feel I must wear glasses with all the white you have, your hair being the brightest of course. Do you die it or is that natural old age? I guess it's natural as your face shows your age perfectly, 140? Or older?"

As Luna continued on with her tirade or words about his age, his face started to flush in anger. When Luna commented on the 'lovely shade of red' that his face had turned he exploded.

"How dare you! I am Carson Clinton. I have more money then you could hope to have and more power. You are nothing you complete freak."

Harry, who had been trying _really hard_ not to laugh, froze when the man said the word freak. He stepped in front of his girlfriend and glared at the man.

"Don't you dare inside my girlfriend you piece of shit."

The man paled and started stuttering. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at the crowd gathering staring, some in amusement, some in shock and some in anger at the man that would dare insult Harry Potter's girlfriend. He turned back to apologise to the Man of the hour but Harry was already gone.

* * *

"Are you okay Luna? How dare that white, fat marshmallow insult you? He deserves-" Harry's angry words were halted by Luna's hand.

"Don't be angry, it was all the white. Gettrats are attracted to white and they make a person angry. I don't blame him. Let's celebrate instead. It's your holiday after all."

Harry glared but Luna just smiled innocently and dragged him to the dance floor. Harry smiled and shook his head in amusement and tried to forget about the horrid words that the man said to Luna.

* * *

"May I cut in?"

Harry and Luna turned to the soft voice. A girl a little older than they were was standing next to the dancing couple. She was a little taller than Harry with soft brown curls about shoulder length. Her grey eyes were soft and watery but she had a soft smile on her face and she was biting her lip. She looked familiar for some reason but Harry didn't recognise her and a glance towards Luna confirmed that she didn't either.

"Is there something we can do for you?"

The girl, very slightly, winced at the word 'we' but spoke none the less.

"I was hoping to have a dance with Mr. Potter."

Harry was shocked but Luna was studying the girl intently. Before Harry was able to pull himself out of his shock Luna nodded to herself and smiled slightly.

"Okay." Luna removed her hands from around her boyfriend's neck and skipped off to the bar. Harry was left to stare at her back shocked and slightly hurt. _Did she not care that he was going to dance with another girl._

He placed his hands into position automatically and smiled weakly down at the girl.

"I hope I didn't interrupt something but I was hoping to have a chance to talk to you."

Harry focused his mind off onto the girl and tried to ignore the hurt he was feeling.

"Okay, I'm sorry but I don't recognise you."

The girl laughed softly but it sounded strained. Harry noticed then that she looked sad, very sad.

"I suppose you wouldn't. I was at Hogwarts a few years above you in Hufflepuff. I was away in France when the attack at Hogwarts happened and only found out about it when it became news over there."

She paused and Harry stared at her, waiting for her to continue and she seemed to pick up on that and started to speak again.

"My brother is a second year, in Slytherin. He was at school in the final battle."

Harry sucked in a breath; he had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"My brother may be a Slytherin but he had so many Gryffindor tendencies that I feel the hat may have made a mistake. He snuck away from the Slytherin group that was heading to the dungeons and hid in a secret passage. When the fighting started my brother joined."

The girl started to choke up and Harry suddenly understood why Luna left. She knew that this girl needed to speak to him to heal. Harry was no longer hurt by her actions.

"He was cornered by Greyback at one point. He told me he thought he was going to die but you appeared out of nowhere. You shot a spell at Greyback that knocked him unconscious. You saved his life. He said that when you turned to him you... You picked him up and carried him all the way to the dungeons, placed him in a room and locked him in. You looked him in the eye and said-"

"I said to stay there, to be brave and survive for his family." Harry couldn't help but interrupt.

The girl smiled at him and nodded.

"My parents didn't survive. They died just after I left for France in a raid. I only found out recently. My brother is all I have left and you made sure I still have him. Harry Potter Day may be a day to celebrate the end of the war but I will always celebrate you because you saved my family."

She was crying now and Harry held her close. They were no longer dancing but no one seemed to care. Once she had calmed slightly she pulled away and smiled brightly at him.

"Thank you."

Harry just nodded.

* * *

"Do you get it now?"

Harry turned to face the voice of his girlfriend. Once the girl, who he still didn't know the name of, had disappeared into the crowd, Harry had retreated outside. It seemed Luna had followed him.

"Get what?"

"The celebration."

Harry shrugged. He didn't really; the whole idea was still stupid to him. Luna rolled her eyes and moved next to him, gripping his hand.

"Harry, this day may be about the end of the war for many people but for those who were affected by the end. Those who have people still here today, those who recognise the sacrifices and pain that was suffered. This day is to send thanks to all those people who made their life as it is today possible. It's a thank you to you."

"I don't need a thank you though." Harry mumbled, he could see the point but still didn't understand.

"They need to say it though." Luna looked up and her boyfriend. He's head was bowed and he was shaking. "They need to say it to heal and not everyone can say it to you. This is for them to heal."

Harry looked at Luna. "I can understand that."

* * *

The couple knelt by the window sill. A collection of candles in from of them unlit. Luna was gripping her boyfriends hand again and looking at the candles, Harry in a similar position next to her.

"This day is about thanks. Thanks to the end of the world, thanks to the people who fought for everyone, thanks to the sacrifices." Harry whispered after a while.

"Tonight we mourn for the people lost. The people who made it possible for us to be here and be happy. We will do this every year to mourn and to celebrate this day"

Harry sniffled and brought his wand up.

"James Potter." he said, shooting a fire spell at the first candle.

"Lily Potter." Luna said as Harry shot another fire spell at the next candle.

"Cedric Diggory."

"Sirius Black."

"Albus Dumbledore."

"Alasor Moody."

"Hedwig."

"Xenophilius Lovegood."

...

* * *

WolfWinks -xx-


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